The 2024 FIDE World Championship has been somewhat surprisingly tense and entertaining, and is tied after 6 games. I was privileged to be joined by two return guests to discuss the following:  Trainer, author and FIDE Press Officer, IM Michael Rahal (0:00) describes the venue in Singapore and provides behind the scenes details and perspective on the match. GM Jon Ludvig Hammer (35:00)  has been Commentating the Event for The TakeTakeTake YouTube Channel and therefore has analyzed every move as it occurs. He discusses the Openings, as well as whether he thinks Ding can continue to keep Gukesh on his heels. We hope to have more bonus coverage to come, and will definitely be following and covering the World Championship once it has concluded. If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GM Avetik Grigoryan is the founder and lead trainer of the education chess website Chessmood.com. I last interviewed Avetik in 2020, and his company has seen explosive growth since then. We discussed what Avetik has learned about growing a chess start-up, but also what he has learned about the challenges adults face in trying to improve at chess. Whereas previously Avetik thought the biggest obstacle was that people set unrealistic goals, now he sees a few bigger issues. We also talked about how artificial intelligence will impact chess improvement in the future and some of the tools Chessmood is working on to make improvement easier. As always, timestamps of topics discussed are below. Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com.Their new courses include  Chessable- Gukesh’s Masterful Moves.If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess:https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=proTo sign up for a free month of Chessmood, use the following link:http://Chessmood.com/Ben 2:00- Avetik’s World Championship Thoughts Mentioned: GM Kevin Goh Wei Ming 5:30- Chess Improvement: Why did Avetik write that “Chess improvement has never been so easy, but never been so hard?” Mentioned: NM Robert Ramirez Avetik’s post regarding “Study, Practice, Fix” is here:https://chessmood.com/blog/how-to-get-better-at-chess24:00- Avetik discusses the AI-enabled chess study tools that Chessmood is launching soon41:00- What is it like to run a chess startup like Chessmood?45:00- Avetik’s (non-chess) book recommendations:Mentioned: Beyond Positive ThinkingThe Third DoorA New Earth51:30- What did Avetik observe about my play from reviewing my games? Mentioned: Chess for Life Thanks to Avetik, for joining me! To sign up for a free month of Chessmood, use the following link:http://Chessmood.com/Ben If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s guest, GM Fidel Corrales Jimenez is an accomplished trainer, player, Chessable author and one of the busiest players on the US tournament circuit. As such a frequent competitor, Fidel has had more than his share of successes (including winning the 2023 World Open!), but I have nonetheless often wondered how he finds the time and energy to play at a high level so frequently and consistently. Hearing Fidel’s fascinating life story helped me untangle the mystery. Fidel and I covered a ton of topics, including:  Why he quit his job as a computer programmer in 2023 to work full time in chess His long and winding path from Cuba to the United States  Attending Webster University with GM Wesley So, IM Eric Rosen and others  The most common mistakes he sees by his amateur students  How much he worries about OTB cheating as a frequent competitor for the top prizes His deep love for the Scotch Opening  This nearly 90-minute conversation flew by, and I am confident that you will enjoy it, as I did. Timestamps for topics discussed are below. Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com. If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess:https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=proThanksgiving Chessmood giveaway! To access a free one-month membership (starting November 20)  to Chessmood.com and check out their 500+ hours of GM lessons- just click this link:https://chessmood.com/ben0:02- Fidel has a family and a busy work schedule  but manages to play OTB quite frequently, how does he manage? Mentioned: IM Eric Rosen 10:00- Fidel tells the story of how he first got a Visa in the US. Mentioned: GM Susan Polgar 16:00- Why did Fidel quit his programming job to focus on chess in 2023? 27:00- Advice for getting over a tough loss. 30:00- As someone competing for top prizes, how worried is Fidel about OTB cheating? What about online cheating? 37:00- What are the biggest challenges Fidel sees in his under 1800 students?40:00- Recommended chess booksMentioned: Can You Be a Positional Chess Genius? , Magnus Carlsen: Endgame Virtuoso, Improve Your Chess Calculation by GM Ramesh50:00- Has Fidel ever played with the Cuban legend, GM Leiner Dominguez?52:00- How did Fidel and his sister, WIM Zenia Corrales Jimenez get into chess? Mentioned: IM Joaquin Carlos Diaz 1:05:00- Fidel discusses his time at Webster University with stars like GM Wesley So, Ray Robson and Le Quang Liem. 1:10:00- What was it like to play GM Judit Polgar in the World Cup?1:13:00- We discuss Fidel’s experience with the Scotch OpeningMentioned:Mayhem in the Scotch: https://www.chessable.com/mayhem-in-the-scotch/course/259795/If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It is World Championship season again! The FIDE World championship takes place from November 25 to December 13, in Singapore. As you probably know, GM Ding Liren will be defending his title against 18 year old wunderkind, GM Gukesh D. This is a unique matchup which features a fast-rising top 5 challenger, and a slumping World Champion who has fallen out of the top 20. Joining me to discuss it are three separate guests in the following order: Top trainer, author, and Ding Liren biographer, GM Davorin Kuljasevic shares his match thoughts. How does Ding’s recent play differ from that of “peak Ding?”   Author of From Boy to Man to Challenger: The Fiercest Battles of Gukesh D ,  IM Cyrus Lakdawala on why he thinks Gukesh has a chance to be an all-time great.  Statistician, and co-founder of Chessgoals.com, NM Matt Jensen on the betting markets, the likelihood of a tiebreak, and one key statistical factor that favors Gukesh.  Chatting about the World Championship always gets me excited for the match, and this year is no exception. Timestamps for guests and topics discussed is below. Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com. If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess:https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=pro0:00- Intro- Intro and Match facts 0:06- GM Davorin Kuljasevic joins to discuss GM Ding Liren, as well as his general thoughts on the match. 0:12- What openings might we expect? Which seconds might he be working with? Mentioned: GM Eugene Perelshteyn’s Tweet:https://x.com/EugenePerel/status/1850321592678555941World Championship bettings odds here:https://sports.bwin.com/en/sports/events/fide-world-championship-2024-1572498723:00- Thanks to GM Kuljasevic for joining me, you can get his book on GM Ding Liren here25:00- IM Cyrus Lakdawala joins to discuss GM D GukeshMentioned: From Boy to Man to Challenger: The Fiercest Battles of Gukesh D 35:00- Cyrus’ match predictions39:00- Gukesh opening predictions49:00- Cyrus’ upcoming projects 51:00- Statistician and NM Matt Jensen of Chessgoals.com joins to give a statistical preview to the match.58:00- What is the expected draw rate for this match? What are the odds of a tiebreak? 1:08:00- What is new with Matt’s website Chessgoals?Check out the Chcessgoals ourses here, Use the code Ben2024 to save 30%: https://courses.chessgoals.com/collections/Check out their podcast  “No Pawn Intended” on the Chessgoals YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@ChessGoalsIf you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

GM Ben Finegold is back to share his thoughts on all of the recent crazy chess news. The popular commentator, YouTuber, and Chessable author and I discuss the controversies and highlights of the US Championships, as well as the most recent cheating accusations leveled by GM Vladimir Kramnik. Do these accusations have more merit than other recent ones? We also discuss OTB cheating, as Ben draws some comparisions to cheating episodes in the game of Bridge. Lastly, we discuss why the Nimzo-Indian is a favorite opening of Ben’s and Ben shares a few of his favorite stories related to chess and gambling. As always, timestamps of topics discussed are below. Thanks to our sponsors, Chessable.com. Check out Ben’s course, Starting Out: Nimzo-Indian.  If you sign up for Chessable Pro, please use the following link to help support Perpetual Chess:https://www.chessable.com/pro/?utm_source=affiliate&utm_medium=benjohnson&utm_campaign=proMentioned: GMs Daniel Naroditsky and Vladimir Kramnik on the Levitov channel https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CFwfC6Y1SAQDanya on C-Squared https://youtu.be/RGiDosCed48?si=94GZd6Dx2TiD3wal19:00- The Shevchenko story and OTB cheating. 23:00- How does cheating in bridge compare to chess? Is it easier to improve at bridge than chess? 27:00- Patreon mailbag question- What is worse, OTB cheating or the fear of OTB cheating?30:45- We discuss the GM Christopher Yoo story and the stress of OTB chess. 39:00- Ben discusses the Nimzo-Indian and other favorite openings from childhoodMentioned: Starting out: The Nimzo Indianhttps://www.chessable.com/starting-out-nimzo-indian-defense/course/258506/Tal-Botvinnik 1960 47:00- Patreon mailbag question: How you can acquire skills rather than knowledge from watching videos? 49:00- Ben shares a few stories about gambling on blitz and bullet chess. Mentioned: GM Kirill Georgiev 58:00- Ben’s World Championship thoughts If you would like to help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:https://www.patreon.com/c/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Peter Doggers, an award-winning chess journalist and director of News and Events at Chess.com, dives into the fascinating world of modern chess. He discusses the alarming rise of cheating, both online and at over-the-board events, and reflects on its impact on the future of the game. Peter also unpacks the evolution of chess in the digital age, spotlighting innovations and the surge of platforms like Chess.com. Insightful anecdotes from his book, "The Chess Revolution," reveal the intertwining of technology with chess history, making for a thought-provoking listen.

FM Charles Hertan, a two-time Massachusetts state champion and renowned author, discusses his latest work, The Real Paul Morphy, shedding light on the chess legend’s rapid rise from unrated to unbeatable. He explores Morphy's unique genius, mental health struggles, and why he remains underappreciated in the GOAT discussions. Hertan also shares insights from his classic book, Forcing Chess Moves, focusing on tactical improvement in chess and personal reflections on his journey from player to writer.

Kostya Kavutskiy, co-founder of ChessDojo and an International Master, shares his journey to reclaim the Grandmaster title after a busy summer in Europe. He provides firsthand insights from his experience at the Olympiad, highlighting the incredible achievements of various teams. The discussion dives into the struggles and joys of chess improvement, emphasizing community engagement within ChessDojo and the importance of personal motivation. Kostya also tees up exciting upcoming projects, including a blog and an annotated game book to inspire fellow players.

“Coming back to classical chess was the best decision of my life,” Selim said.  IM-elect Selim Citak came out of semi-retirement on a whim a few years ago, needing one more norm and some more FIDE rating points, in order to earn the IM title. Selim quickly discovered that adjustments were necessary, as his rating plummeted from over 2300 to 2150 while he grappled with the stronger new generation of chess players. Through hard work, sacrifice, and psychological adjustments, Selim turned things around and gained the 250 FIDE points and final norm necessary to earn the IM title at age 39! In our conversation, Selim shares his remarkable story, along with plenty of chess improvement advice. Selim is very active in the Turkish chess scene as an author, Chessable author and commentator.  He joined me just after attending the Olympiad as a second to young star GM Yagiz Erdogmus. Selim also shared what makes GM Ediz Gurel and him such special talents, and why Turkey is a potential rising chess power. This was an inspiring conversation of personal chess revival, so be sure to tune in.  1:30- IM-elect Selim Citak joins me: He discusses his chess origins and why did he returned to tournament chess in 2022. Mentioned: GM Suat Atalik, GM Mikhail GurevichSelim’s FIDE graph:https://ratings.fide.com/profile/6301819/chart22:00- Selim describes his study routineMentioned: GM Evgeny Romanov 28:00- Selim’s approach to openings 35:00- Selim’s study routine, and how he pays for the expenses Mentioned: Sorcerer’s Apprentice by GM David Bronstein 43:00- Does Selim play a lot online chess? 49:00- Selim’s next goals53:00- Selim’s helped GM Erdogmus at the Olympiad. He reflects on the experience and Turkey’s status as a potential future chess powerhouse. Mentioned: GM Ediz Gurel, GM Yağız Erdoğmuş1:10:00- Selim’s advice for getting unstuck. If you would like the help support Perpetual Chess via Patreon, you can do so here:https://www.patreon.com/perpetualchess Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This week’s returning guest is the renowned author, Chessable author and trainer, GM Axel Smith. Axel, of course is best known for the groundbreaking tactics manual, The Woodpecker Method, and is finally releasing its much-anticipated sequel, The Woodpecker Method 2: Positional Play.  While the first Woodpecker volume focused on tactics, this one helps readers learn critical positional patterns. In our conversation, we discuss the challenges of and logistics behind selecting over 1000 positional puzzles. We also have a wide-ranging discussion about Axel’s latest thoughts about chess improvement, a topic he has covered in excellent books like Pump Up Your Rating and Street Smart Chess. We touch on how Axel’s chess goals have evolved now that he has a family, his advice regarding offering draws, and even the parallels between trying to improve at distance running and at chess. As always links of topics referenced are below.  Book available from Quality Chess and Forward Chess, coming soon to Chessable https://forwardchess.com/product/the-woodpecker-method2PDF Sample of the book:https://forwardchess.com/sample/the-woodpecker-method2Forward Chess:https://forwardchess.com/product/the-woodpecker-method202:00-  GM Axel Smith joins the show. Was it challenging to make a compilation of “positional puzzles”? Mentioned: GMs Christopher Yoo, Renier Castellanos, Sam Shankland, Nordirbek Abdusattorov Simple Chess, Winning Chess Strategies, The Power of Pawns 14:00-  Patreon mailbag question: When will Woodpecker 2 be available on Chessable? Mentioned: FM Nate Solon’s post, Woodpecker Revisitedhttps://zwischenzug.substack.com/p/the-woodpecker-method-revisited?utm_source=publication-search21:00- Check out the app of our new sponsors Chess Universe in your app store. https://chess-universe.sng.link/Dqw52/kbhh22:00- We revisit some of the most memorable chess improvement advice from Axel’s classic book Pump Up Your Rating. What advice would he change? Mentioned: My Chessable course, Identifying Critical Moments in Chesshttps://www.chessable.com/identifying-critical-moments-in-chess/course/248353/31:00- Axel quit his job to focus on distance running training, and runs 20 Kilometers a day. We discuss his training regimen38:00- Returning to chess, we discuss Axel’s philosophy regarding draw offers. 40:00- Has the success of The Woodpecker Method changed Axel’s life?43:00- Why does Axel think adults often struggle to improve? 47:00- Has Axel’s overall improvement philosophy changed since Pump Up Your Rating?48:00- Thanks to Axel for rejoining us, you can keep up with his work via Chessable and Quality Chess. https://www.chessable.com/author/axelsmith/https://qualitychess.co.uk/products/improvement/446/_the_woodpecker_method_2_by_axel_smith/  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices